Railway-tie



(No Model.)

A. B. FISHER.

RAILWAY TIE.l

Patented Oct. 20, 1891.

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, 706m j' @y /MWWW UNrTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE ALVAN B. FISHER, OFRUTLAND, MASSACHUSETTS. 1

RAILWAY-TIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,571, dated October20, 1891.

Application filed June 6, 1891.' Serial No. 395,346. l(No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. ALVAN B. FISHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rutland, in the county of WVorcester and State ofMassachusettshave invented a new and useful Railway-Tie, of which thefollowing, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specificationsufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable persons skilled in the artto which this invention appertains to make and use the same.

The obj ect of my presentinvention is to provide a cheap and efficientrailroad-tie; and it consists in the peculiar structure and arrangementof parts as hereinafter explained, and as illustrated in the drawings,wherein- Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved railway-tie. Fig. 2 is ahalf side view and half longitudinal section of the same at line fr.Fig. 3 is an end View drawn to somewhat larger scale. Fig. 4 is atransverse section at line y y, and Fig. 5 is a Vertical section of theadjustable brace on a somewhat larger scale.

In my improved railway-tie the main body A consists of a troughor.channelbeam about eight inches (more or less) in width, formed ofrolled iron or steel of the required length and havin ga thin horizontalweb-plate a, with integral longitudinal sides or upright fianges c alongthe edges thereof, said flanges being about four inches (more or less)in height. These can be formed by passing through suitable rolls or bybending up the edges from a flat rolled plate.

B B indicate removable rectangularr blocks, of wood or other suitablematerial, upon which the track-rails R are seated. Said blocks arefitted within the hollow of the body and confined by means of flangedplates C and D, that abut against the ends of the blocks. The blocks arepreferably thicker than the depth of the body, so that the top of theblock will stand somewhat above the level of the earth when the body ofthe tie is buried. The plates C, disposed at the inner ends of theblocks B, have their upright edges flanged and are riveted or rigidlyattached to the side flanges c of the body, thereby each providing asolid abutment against which the end of the respective blocks havesupport. The plates D at the outer end of the blocks are respectivelyfitted to theinteriorof the channel of the body A, so as to abutsquarely against the block, and are arranged to be conveniently removed,each plate being confined and sustained by a detachable fastening,preferably by the bar or bolt F, that passes transversely throughopenings in the body-anges a adjacent to the back of the abutmentplatein the manner illustrated. Said bar has a head f at one end, and issecured by a pin or key j", that passes through its opposite end. Byknocking o ut the key and removing the bolt or bar F the plate D isfreed, so that it can be taken out for releasing the block B, and thusfacilitating the renewal of the same when required. The top edges andangles of the plates C and D are formed with overhanging lips or flangesc and d, respectively, which extend over the end angles of the blocks Bfor confining the blocks in position and preventing the splintering oftheir top edges. The plate C is fitted with a slot or recess c, throughwhich acrowbar can be inserted. between the abutmentplate and the block.At the central part of the body lugs or wing-plates H are arranged onthe outside of the tie, against which a bar can be placed for shiftingthe tie endwise without digging it entirely out of the earth. The lugsalso helpto support the tie when in the earth.

Afeature of my invention consists in'an adjustable brace for sustainingthe rail against outward side pressure. (See Fig. 5.) Said bracecomprises a movable bearer l, a supporting-socket I., and suitable meansforeffectin g the adjustments. One end of the bearer I is formed to fitagainst the rail adjacent to its head, while its other end is supportedwithin the fixed head or socket I', preferably fitted therein by a roundjoint that matches againsta seat-piece z', while a screw J is threadedto the end of said socket behind the seat-piece for forcing forward theparts or permitting their retraction, thereby giving the requisiteadjustment, so that the brace can bear against the rail with properdegree of resistance. The sides of the socket I are best provided withengaging-lugs m, iitted to interlock with suitable ears h, formed on theouter abutment-plates D, whereby the adj ustable brace devices aresustained at fixed position in relation to the tie in the mannersubstantially as illustrated. The rails R are IOO VIO

fastened to the blocks B by ordinary railwayspikes fa or in any suitablemanner. 'lhe end of the brace I which bears against the rail can move upor down with the springing of the rail as trains pass or to accommodatethe position as'the rail wears into the seat-block B, at the same timemaintaining its bracing action. This brace device may not be used in allcases or on all of the ties, but can be put on to such of the ties aswill afford side support Y for the rails at any required interval. Thesocket or brace-head I and the abutmentplates being provided withinterlocking ears, the brace can be readily put on or removed by firstreleasing the abutment-plate D and then engaging or disengaging the earsand lugs while the plate is some distance back from its normal position.It will be understood that the brace-socket can, if in any instancedesired, be secured in position by ordinary screw-bolts in lieu of theinterlocking ears and lugs.

It will be observed that with my improved structure the blocks B can beremoved and replaced without disturbing the rail R or the body of thetie, such operation simply requiring the excavation of the earth orballast in the end of the tie and the removal of the bar F and plate D.Then after the spikes have been drawn a crow-bar is inserted behind theblock through the hole e andthe block forced out longitudinally frombeneath the rail. A new block can then be introduced and the partsreplaced as before.

Metal railway-ties of different construction, comprising wooden blocksfor rail-seats, having been heretofore devised, it will be understoodthat Ido not herein claim such feature as broadly of my invention.

I claim as my invention herein to be secured by Letters Patentl. rlheWithin-described railway-tie, consisting of the metal body A, havingupright side iianges a', the trausversely-disposed abutment-plates C andD, having overhanging flanges c and d, respectively', at their tops andupright ianged edges fitting between the upright sides of sai body,theformer rigidly fixed in position by rivets through the side flanges andthe latter removably secured by transversely-disposed bars F, insertedth rough Openings in the side tianges at the back of plates D, and therectangular wood blocks fitted between said abutment-plates within thechannel of the body and confined by the overhanging top flanges c and d,said parts being constructed and combined all substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. In a railway-tie, the combination, with the body A and the rail-seatblock B, of the transverse abutment-plate C, having its overhangingflange c provided with the recess e, substantially as and for thepurpose set. forth.

The adjustable brace composed ot the movable bearer and thesupportingsocket provided with engaging-lugs, in combination with thebody of the tie, and the abutmentplate D, having ears that interlockwith said engaginglugs for sustaining said bracesocket, and means,substantially as described, for securing said plate to the body of thetie, for the purposes set forth.

4. In combination with the track-rail and railway-tie, the adjustablerail-brace com posed of a head or socket sustained at fixed positionupon a stationary part. of the tie, the movable bearer seated in saidsocket and capable of limited upward and downward swinging action, andthe adjusting-screw fitted in said socket and adapted for pressingforward said bearer, substantially as set forth.

Vitness my hand this 1st day of J une, A. D. 1891.

ALV AN B. FISHER.

Witnesses:

CHAS. H. BURLEIGH, Guo. W. PEIRCE.

